


Youth Line

by lycchi



Series: weeb escapades [1]
Category: Butterfly Soup (Visual Novel)
Genre: Gen, weeb escapades
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-17
Updated: 2019-10-02
Packaged: 2020-09-02 11:34:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,710
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20275240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lycchi/pseuds/lycchi
Summary: Ester is in-denial. A series of connecting one-shots centered on Ester, 'Yuki' and 'Sakura.'





	1. Youth Line

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ester is the kind of person who would put in her earbuds mid-conversation, because she wants you to know she's too mature to take part, only for her to leave the cord dangling and unplugged the whole time.

After a day of training (more torturous than whatever 'ideal' looked like in hell, in Ester's opinion), they sat in the changing room waiting for Chryssa to finish lecturing Min. Ester didn't know the details, but the manner Chryssa lectured Min was akin to the sort of speech a mom would make after catching their child doing something stupid and dangerous for the fiftieth time. And it might as well have been... What was with Min's obsession with knives? She didn't really care to find out.

In any case, there was something more concerning. 

Normally, Ester preferred to keep out of Sakura and Yuki's - no, Sumi and Grace's conversations. Unfortunately for her, Hunter x Hunter's hiatus was the topic of conversation. When would the Chimera Ant Arc reach its conclusion? Was Togashi okay? These were just questions that kept her awake at night as much as the next person, right? How could they not. 

\---

"Hey Ester, aren't you, like, a _dai_ fan of Togashi?" Sumi asked. 

"...Why do you say that?"

Ester sighed slowly to express her indifference. It was important that she kept her cool. As tempting as it was to simply react to Sumi and Grace's weeb-ish 'habits,' there was little to gain from being reactive. What if the other kids walking home started looking at her funny because she said something weird or dumb? She didn't want that. ...She _really_ didn't want that. And practice had ended, it's not like she could just run away; they lived in the same direction and she had nowhere else to go. So she needed to keep it short, simple and apathetic. Just leave it to them, she just needed to not let herself get carried away.

"Your fashion! It just screams him." Grace responded without a beat. 

"EXACTLY! You're always wearing pastel tones and even tuck your shirt into your pants." Sumi gestured towards Ester's current attire. 

"Hey. ...Just because I--"

"YEAH. That and your wallpaper!" Grace blurted out loudly.

It happened so quickly, Ester was almost unsure about what she heard. She turned to look at Sumi, who quickly turned to look away.

"Huh. No... wait, hold on. Grace. What do you mean by 'wallpaper'?"

She couldn't mean... But how?? She literally changed it last week, she couldn't have seen it. But what if she did? "How do you--" 

"W-wallpaper? What. Umm... I didn't say that. I meant that it's, like, super duper obvious that you're a Togashi fan and stuff! Isn't that right, Sakura?"

"Ohmygod, Yuki. STOP, YOU'RE TOTALLY MAKING IT WORSE. SHHHhhh," Sumi responded exaggeratedly, shoving her finger in Ester's face.

Ester pushed Sumi's hand away. "Why are you even shoving your hand in my face when I'm not even the one you're telling to shut up?! Quit playing around." She turned back to glare at Grace. "And you. Don't think I didn't hear you."

"Oops... I... I spilled the beans... _Gomen_, Ester." Grace covered her mouth, as if belatedly shocked by her own words. It was very ineffective and only made her look more insincere.

Ester could feel warmth spreading to her ears. 

"Now, now, Ester, my dear _tomodachi_. Don't worry, there's no shame in appreciating the fine art that the Yu Yu Hakusho anime has blessed the world with." Sumi added, as if her own admission was some sort of consolation for Ester's embarrassment.

"ARGH, just shut-up. I don't want to hear it." 

Home couldn't be any further away, but she didn't dislike their company, otherwise she wouldn't still be here. Half of the time Sumi and Grace made Ester question her sanity, but maybe it was just the entire team that had that effect...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Togashi invented the shirt tuck. I don't make the rules.
> 
> The wallpaper in question: https://yuyufashion.tumblr.com/post/75440740903/black-megallica-shirt-this-is-one-of-my


	2. Dramatic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team celebrates their first win at the buffet and Ester lives to see another day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place before chapter one and expands on canon material. A belated 'gift' for Butterfly Soup's second anniversary, with at least one more chapter planned. 
> 
> I have a public Butterfly Soup Spotify playlist (searchable by name and linked to the username with the weird garble of letters and numbers). Follow for ~2008 throwbacks, math rock, hip gay hits, weeb tunes, bedroom pop.

After winning their first game (if you could call it a win), thanks to Liz's suggestion that they do something to celebrate, the team had made their way to the mall where Bombay Garden, an Indian buffet, was located. Ester hadn't been there since she was a little kid, but that's where they found themselves. 

Why was she still part of this train-wreck of a team? She'd be lying if she said depictions of friendship and team dynamics in sports anime _didn't_ play a role in her joining the team, but it's also why she stayed. Having never had particularly close friends or even a best friend to call her own, it was moving to witness characters come together and accomplish something despite their differences, even if at the end of the day they were just works of fiction.

But maybe their team's questionable skill could be considered their strength??

...No, she was thinking about it too deeply.

If anything, Ester was more of a 'purist' when it came to sports anime. She didn't watch a show to see the protagonist hit a home run using the power of the same asteroid that destroyed the dinosaurs, not that the trickery the team narrowly pulled-off could be compared to _that_ of all things. 

By the time she arrived, Akarsha and Min had already tossed themselves in the mall fountain, filling their hands with pennies, while Diya and Noelle just watched. From what she could tell, Diya at least looked concerned. Noelle, on the other hand, was grimacing in a manner that encapsulated all five stages of grief. But neither of them were making any attempt to stop them. ...Really, it was too early for this shit.

"If we find 392 more cents, we can buy Mario Party at Game Stop." 

...The fact that it was Akarsha who had triggered the fire alarm to play the Mario theme added another layer of questionability to the situation. It seemed like a pretty excessive way of getting out of class, not that she really minded either way. But why not just pull the fire alarm like a normal person? 

Ester watched the scene unfold.

Thanks to Chryssa's arrival and intervention, Akarsha and Min were no longer in the fountain, but the effects of her lecture were diminished when Liz pulled out an equipment bag. 

"Get in the bag, Min!" 

With a little help from Chryssa, Min got in the bag, and Liz zipped it up, but not until everyone had said their goodbyes.

What was this, some kind of funeral procession?

The bag alone was suspicious, but the very-human outline and signs of breathing weren't helping... 

It was moments like this that, rather than make Ester question her sanity, proved that she was the only sane one. 

Maybe it wasn't too late to pretend she wasn't with them? ...But what teenager goes to a buffet alone? People might judge her even more for that... So for now, Ester decided to relent. She could at least try to make the best out of the situation. She had already agreed to be there, it was normal for a team to celebrate its wins. 

\--

Oftentimes, Ester found herself staring down at her phone, not because she was texting someone or doing anything of particular importance. Her phone served as a sort buffer during awkward or uncomfortable social situations; it made it look like she was busy even when she wasn't. Over the past weeks, Ester had found herself growing closer to her teammates, but it still felt like there was a wall between herself and everyone else. Old habits die hard.

Thanks to the size of their team, they had split off into two groups, seated in close-proximity. It was just as noisy as usual. And she was the same as usual, observing from the sidelines.

She could overhear yelling, something about toilet water?? Ester glanced toward the other group. Akarsha had rushed into the washroom, with Diya following closely behind.

Damn, did Noelle really... No, that's not possible, she wasn't _that _big of an asshole, otherwise she wouldn't look as concerned as she did. And if she was, she'd be calling an ambulance right about now.

A startling tap on the shoulder put an end to her curious glances. It was Chryssa. 

"Hey Ester, just wanted to check-in to see how you're doing. You were pretty quiet during the planning ordeal. You not a fan of chatrooms?" Chryssa asked, drawing Ester's attention away from the now, mostly-settled (at least as far as she could tell) ruckus. 

"If there's anything we can do to make it more comfortable, don't hesitate to tell us." Liz added. 

"I dunno about there being any--" "That's right, my dear _tomodachi_."

Before Ester could even finish talking, Sakura - no, Sumi had inserted herself in the conversation. 

"At least we know she checks her messages. Her read receipts are on." ...Scratch that, Sumi AND Grace, the latter of whom always found a way to aggravate the situation further.

She just needed to keep ignoring them.

"...But aren't you weirded out too? By them, I mean." Ester pointed at the two weebs in question. Really, there were three of them, but one was missing-in-action. 

"Hey!! _Watashitachi_ can hear you." 

"Yeah! There's nothing more wholesome than anime."

Chryssa shrugged and sighed. 

"We've already gotten used to it. But really, what harm is there in supporting their interests?" Liz responded. 

"See, a little Naruto never killed anyone," Grace beamed. 

"...You might be speaking a little too soon," Chryssa shook her head in strong disagreement. "But hey, try not to worry about what others think so much, Ester," Chryssa added, redirecting her attention back towards Ester.

"But just because you tell someone not to worry doesn't mean--"

And, as if on cue, the ruckus returned. 

"Diya, look! Look, they're drinking pani!!"

"!!!!!!!!"

"What?? What's pani?" 

...

A chase scene ensued, and all Ester could do was watch. 

"Hey! This isn't a jungle gym!"

...Well, at least she could delay worrying about her own situation, even if it was just for a little while longer. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stream TWICE #FeelSpecial.
> 
> Your last words: Rise Tsuyosa.


	3. Rise, Power!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Practice gone wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place after the events of chapter one. For a more 'immersive' experience, please listen to this in the background: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjjkHg5FOhk
> 
> I have a public Butterfly Soup Spotify playlist (searchable by name and linked to the username with the weird garble of letters and numbers). Follow for ~2008 throwbacks, math rock, hip gay hits, weeb tunes, bedroom pop.

It all began when Sumi reached into the pocket of her track pants.

...Except, not really.

If anything, it had begun the night before practice. 

\--

Not long after joining the team, Sumi, Grace and Akarsha created a second group chat--one dedicated to discussing anime and games. In theory, it seemed 'harmless' enough, but knowing these weirdos, Ester had plenty of reasons to doubt it.

After multiple attempts to add her to the chat, Ester eventually gave in, only to mute its notifications due to spam. Really, why did they even bother adding her? She didn't even participate, not even in the baseball chat.

Though, sometimes the chat had 'normal,' semi-serious conversations about their favourite series.

But, of course, they never lasted. 

**albret einstong: **Ayyy, guys. I have an idea but im gonna need ur help 

**Sakura: **:3 ??

**Yuki: **???

**albret einstong: **Just gimme a sec

**albret einstong added Min**

**Sakura: **Konbanyaa~ :3

**Yuki: **:3 hai min

**Min: **Dude wtfff is this 

**albret einstong: **@Min wanna annoy noelle??

**Min: **Ok, i'm listening

. . . 

Ester had no plans to get involved.

So instead of letting her curiosity get the best of her, as difficult and out-of-character for her as it honestly was, she could wait until faced with what tomorrow would bring...... or rather, what she'd be forced to witness.

\--

Out of her pocket, Sumi had pulled out a Hidden Leaf Village headband, tying it around her forehead. It had a line through the centre, the marker of a ninja's rogue status.

The very presence of a Naruto headband turned an act as mundane as reaching into your pant pockets into something far more indiscrete and ridiculous, but of course she was the only one who noticed.

Only, that wasn't going to last. 

With sub-par athleticism, Sumi began running down the track in a manner that was _too_ familiar to Ester. And, following Sumi's lead, Akarsha joined, donning a headband of her own.

Ester wouldn't be surprised if either of them genuinely believed that running in _that_ manner somehow made them go faster and this was just their way of testing it out. 

Though, honestly, maybe it did? Like, somehow, it did something to reduce air resistance?

......No, it didn't matter if it did or didn't. That was just overthinking it. 

Together, the two of them began releasing a trail of surprisingly well-made origami ninja stars. Unfortunately, they were also surprisingly sharp. 

"HEY! I didn't say any of you could start! STOP." Chryssa yelled from the sidelines, but to no avail. 

"YOU'RE THE MOST ABHORRENT, EMBARRASSING--" And as expected, Noelle began hurling insults at Akarsha, only to be brought to a startling halt.

"WHAT'S THAT?" Akarsha yelled out, cutting Noelle off. "I CAN'T HEAR YOU OVER MY THEME MUSIC." 

"HUH? WHAT MUSIC--"

"MIN, QUIT MAKING GOOGLY EYES AT DIYA AND DO THE THING."

"HEY, YOU BETTER WATCH YOUR FACE." Min shouted angrily. ...Did no one on this team have an indoor voice? Jeez. 

Despite Min's 'threat,' she did as Akarsha requested and with the press of a button, the most iconic Naruto battle theme began playing and it was, well, loud. Or at least as loud as you can get music to play out of an iPod without the use of speakers. The questionable audio quality truly... 'enhanced' the thrown-together quality of their scheme. 

And that wasn't a compliment. 

"It's like all of your worst fears have come true," Liz said to Chryssa, with an expression that was a mix of amused and exhausted. 

"...You know, you really aren't helping." Chryssa face-palmed.

"Oh, I know." 

..........But something was off.

Why were only Akarsha and Sumi running? That was one-person short.

Ester turned her attention towards the person who had quietly sat-down next to her on the grass.

"...Were you the one who folded the ninja stars?" It was honestly frightening how stealthy Grace was. A natural 20. 

"Oh. You mean the _shuriken_? That was Min!"

"Huh." Maybe there was more to Min than she thought, even if it still involved weapons. "Then why aren't you joining in?"

"Running right now would be like if I had a death wish. I stayed up until 4 in the morning binge-watching Yu Yu Hakusho." Grace let-out a perfectly-timed yawn. 

"But why would you do that? ...Over a stupid phone wallpaper?" 

Grace shrugged lazily. "'Cause why not? Isn't that what _tomodachi_ do? Now, you'll have more to talk about with us." 

"I.........don't have anything to say about that." 

Why was this making her sweaty and emotional??

"_Daijoubu_! You don't have to say anything, but Iwill be here if you want to talk." 

Just because other people were going out of their way to be nice to her and include her in their weird activities? If that was the case, Ester had reached an all-time low. 

In her usual attempt to avoid potential embarrassment, Ester redirected as much of her attention as she could onto the mess that was unfolding in front of them.

Chryssa and Liz were busy talking about what to do about the two weebs on the loose. 

"Liz, let's have a change of plans. How about you time how long it takes me to catch both of those twerps?" 

"Already on it. Looks like we'll have to save individual timed-running for a different day." Liz sighed and reached down to press the start button on the timer she had dangling from her neck, only to be interrupted by Chryssa.

"Hold on a second." And, to Min's horror, Chryssa gave her a very unsubtle warning, "you're next, Min."

"Start!" Liz called out, as she pressed the timer, and off Chryssa went. 

"The fuck?? AKARSHA. THIS ISN'T WHAT I SIGNED UP FOR," Min yelled in Akarsha's general direction. 

"Now, this is worth watching," Noelle said with a look of satisfaction. Diya could only shake her head in disappointment.

And, as expected, Chryssa was quickly gaining on them.

"SHIT. OH SHIT, OH SHIT. FUCK. SAKURA, RUN!" Akarsha called out to Sumi. 

"YEAH, FUCK SAKURA! IN THIS HOUSE, WE ONLY SHIP SASUNARU." Unfortunately, Sumi had failed to catch-on. 

"NO. YOU, I MEAN 'YOU!' RUN." 

And soon they would reach some form of demise.

"_YAMEROOoOoOO~!_"

"...They say that to this very day, you can still hear their cries," Grace muttered, cringing at the sight in front of her.

"Maybe 'a little Naruto' _can_ kill," Liz added with an eery smile, causing Ester to grimace. 

It was a train-wreck Ester couldn't look away from.

But what else could she expect from this team? 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My headcanon is that 'Sakura,' 'Yuki' and Akarsha made a separate chat to talk about anime and games, but also to plan shit like this. Min stays in the group, despite being more interested in gaming. Ester continues to keep chat notifications muted, but does occasionally lurk.
> 
> 2008 was a time. Sometimes you could find subtitled episodes of Naruto Shippuden on YouTube split into three parts, but one part of the episode would be missing because it got copyright claimed. : ( 
> 
> Next episode: It's 2018. Akarsha and Noelle usually take turns planning dates. But thanks to Akarsha, they end up at a Naruto run flash mob event.


End file.
